Abstract
BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use among cancer patients and non-cancer volunteers, and to assess the knowledge of and attitudes toward CAM use in oncology among health care professionals.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional questionnaire survey conducted in a single institution in Ireland. Survey was performed in outpatient and inpatient settings involving cancer patients and non-cancer volunteers. Clinicians and allied health care professionals were asked to complete a different questionnaire.ResultsIn 676 participants including 219 cancer patients; 301 non-cancer volunteers and 156 health care professionals, the overall prevalence of CAM use was 32.5% (29.1%, 30.9% and 39.7% respectively in the three study cohorts). Female gender (p < 0.001), younger age (p = 0.004), higher educational background (p < 0.001), higher annual household income (p = 0.001), private health insurance (p = 0.001) and non-Christian (p < 0.001) were factors associated with more likely CAM use. Multivariate analysis identified female gender (p < 0.001), non-Christian (p = 0.001) and private health insurance (p = 0.015) as independent predictors of CAM use. Most health care professionals thought they did not have adequate knowledge (58.8%) nor were up to date with the best evidence (79.2%) on CAM use in oncology. Health care professionals who used CAM were more likely to recommend it to patients (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates a similarly high prevalence of CAM use among oncology health care professionals, cancer and non cancer patients. Patients are more likely to disclose CAM usage if they are specifically asked. Health care professionals are interested to learn more about various CAM therapies and have poor evidence-based knowledge on specific oncology treatments. There is a need for further training to meet to the escalation of CAM use among patients and to raise awareness of potential benefits and risks associated with these therapies.
Highlights
We aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use among cancer patients and non-cancer volunteers, and to assess the knowledge of and attitudes toward CAM use in oncology among health care professionals
The aims of this study were to a) investigate the interest and prevalence of CAM use among cancer patients attending a tertiary referral centre in Ireland; b) determine factors associated with CAM usage; (c) assess communications between health care professionals and patients by obtaining opinions and experience from both parties; and (d) investigate health care professionals’ knowledge of and attitudes toward CAM
676 questionnaires were valid for analysis including 301 completed by non-cancer volunteers, 219 by cancer patients and 156 by health care professionals
Summary
We aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use among cancer patients and non-cancer volunteers, and to assess the knowledge of and attitudes toward CAM use in oncology among health care professionals. Documented figures of up to 60% of these patients did not disclose their CAM usage to the doctors, and most cited reason was that their doctors did not ask them [4,5] These findings highlighted the lack of awareness of CAM usage among health care professionals. The majority of novel anticancer treatments are studied in advanced cancer patients and this cohort has been shown to use CAM more frequently [9]. This can be a confounding factor potentially leading to under- or over-estimated drug levels, toxicity, side effect profiles, drug-herb-vitamin interactions and unreliable clinical trial data [10]
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